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Welcome to Am I Infected

IMPORTANT UPDATE
Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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Thank you for your understanding
and future support of the best online support service for people living with,
affected by and at risk for HIV.

HIV transmission does not happen from street blood to shoe to infecting anyone. It doesnt work like that. If you are not SHARING needles or having unprotected sex then you will be AOK to proceed.

HIV is VERY hard to get and transmit. It is fragile and does not live outside the body.

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

Just to add on to what KC has correctly said, nothing you have reported is a concern in terms of HIV transmission.

But I can't help wondering if you would find it worthwihle to talk with a therapist and discuss your concerns. What you have written sounds like thoughts and feelings rather than anything grounded in HIV science.

I appreciate your time and do apologize if I have offended anyone for what is seen as a no risk exposure to blood.

You are correct in stating that this fear is thought and feeling based. I do feel that it was my fault that I stepped in this blood - that I was careless for not seeing it. And 'creating' this situation in my head where I fear that I will infect my gfriend. I believe I have met a wonderful person and with my own fears I am destroying a chance of being happy with her.

Maybe I should go with the flow and enjoy life rather than fear what hasn't happened...easier said than done though...

Stick with enjoying getting to know this person you care about better and letting yourself be known as well.

Very often the things we worry about never happen or happen differently than we fear. But living in the worry prevents you from being present in your life, so work on staying present and let the future take care of itself.

I hope I have done the right thing by adding to the post created by myself a while ago.

I was planning to get tested in about 6 weeks, not for any particular risky exposure but as a routine test that my girlfriend and I agreed on before considering unproctected sex since it is an monagamous relationship.

My mind is starting to play 'what if's?' with me... I was eating at a restaurant and had a drink with a garnish of orange on the side of the glass... without thinking I ate half of the orange then before eating the other half I noticed red stuff on it... At first I dismissed it and thought it could be that it was stored next to the cocktail cherries and had some of their red rubbed on it. Then my mind went into overload the next day and thought "what if it was blood?"

I do think the risk is low but concerned since I do need to get tested at 3 months for peace of mind and can't bear the thought of waiting that long again...and she's received a negative test back so it's all up to me.

Do you think there is even the slightist possibility given that I had a split lip?

NO possibility. Really you should read our lessons on transmission. It seems as though you are focused on aquiring HIV from an environmental surface and it just doesnt happen that way. I sense more of these posts from you and just as an FYI, you'll get the same answers.

Logged

LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

Thanks for your repsonse and time. I won't repeat my question again. I do understand that I have an issue with believing the facts of transmission and was hoping for reassurance that I am indeed right in thinking that it is no to low risk. I'm not sure why I have trouble beleiving it because I do know 1+1=2.

I do know that it stems from the fear of destroying someone else's life - this is the basis of it...I don't want to hurt my girlfriend who I care about more than anything...which seems to override logic and what we know about how real transmission occurs.